American Pharoah Arrives at Monmouth
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Jet-setting Triple Crown winner American Pharoah arrived on the East Coast safe and sound July 29, after traveling from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's California base to Monmouth Park in New Jersey, where he will run in the Aug. 2 William Hill Haskell Invitational (gr. I).
Set for his first start since taking the June 6 Belmont Stakes presented by DraftKings (gr. I) at Belmont Park in New York, the Zayat Stables runner had a brief layover at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, then continued on to Atlantic City International Airport via Tex Sutton charter. With a police escort leading the way up the Garden State Parkway, he then traveled via Brook Ledge van to Monmouth.
American Pharoah arrived at the New Jersey oval just after 4 p.m. (all times Eastern). He came off the truck and took two laps in front of a media throng before getting hosed down and walking into the barn of trainer Kelly Breen, where he will stay during his visit.
"The trip was very smooth," said assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. "It's a long trip. We left Del Mar around 1:30 in the morning, flew out of Ontario, Calif., stopped in Lexington, Ky. to refuel, and then (encountered) no traffic from there. He is very professional when he travels."
American Pharoah was bedded down in the Monmouth backstretch just before 5 p.m.
Members of the public wishing to see American Pharoah before the Haskell can watch the 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile train July 30-Aug. 1 between the hours of 7:30 and 7:50 a.m. Post positions for the Haskell will be drawn July 30 at noon ET.
"He walked this morning and will jog about a mile over the track tomorrow morning at 7:30," Barnes said. "He will probably do the same thing the three days leading up to the race. He just seems to keep getting better."
Along with American Pharoah, the likely field for the Haskell includes Competitive Edge, Mr. Jordan, Upstart, Keen Ice, War Story, Top Clearance, and Tekton. The 48th edition of the Haskell will be televised on NBC from 5-6 p.m. Gates open at 9 a.m., with first post at 11:30 a.m.